Mirsad Bektasevic, Abdulkadir Cesur and Bajro Ikanovic are charged with planning terrorist attacks, while Senad Hasanovic and Amir Bajric are charged with illegal possession of firearms and assisting the other three accused in obtaining weapons for terrorism purposes.
The indictment alleges that Bektasevic and Cesur planned to carry out a terrorist attack in the territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina or some other European country in order to force the government of that country to withdraw its troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Ikanovic is charged with obtaining explosives for terror attacks through Bajric and Hasanovic.
Prosecutor Ahmed Halebic said in his opening statement that nearly 20 kilograms of explosive, a belt used by suicide bombers and a mechanism used for activating explosive devices had been found in two Sarajevo apartments used by the accused.
All the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges except Bajric, who made a plea agreement with the prosecution, admitting his guilt. Under the agreement, he will testify in the trial and his prison sentence will not exceed two years.
Bosnian media reports have linked Bektasevic and Cesur to terrorist suspects in Sweden and Denmark.